Erect, branched, annual herb up to 1 m tall; tomentose with simple or stellate hairs; lower leaves palmately 3-lobed, upper ones elliptic or rhomboid, hairy above, stellate tomentose below, 3-5 nerved at base, apex acuminate, base cuneate, margin crenate; flowers in axillary clusters; sepals 5, cup-shaped, awned at apex, stellate pubescent; petals 5, yellow, as long as sepals, spathulate, obtuse, glabrous below; stamens usually 5, sometimes 10, filaments hairy at back; carpels 2; ovary bilocular, oblong, hairy, stigma 4-lobed; capsule oblong, densely tomentose with hooked or uncinate, hairy spines, seeds 4, brown.